McNabb keeps starting job vs. Cardinals

QB is 'right back on the horse' after benching

by Bob McManaman - Nov. 25, 2008 12:00 AMThe Arizona Republic

Andy Reid and Donovan McNabbhave kissed and made up. But now what?

The Eagles' head coach has stood behind his quarterback since they both came to Philadelphia in 1999, but after Reid benched McNabb at halftime of Sunday's loss to the Ravens, it looked like the relationship was on the road to ruins.

It also further generated speculation that one of them, or perhaps even both, might not be back with the Eagles after this season. That might still be the case, but after Reid announced Monday that McNabb, not Kevin Kolb, will be the Eagles' starter for Thursday night's game against the visiting Cardinals, things at least have returned to normal for now.

Speaking to Arizona reporters on a conference call, Reid said "yes," it was an easy decision to go back to McNabb and "no," it had nothing to do with this being a short week in preparation for the Thanksgiving game.

"I know Donovan fairly well here after 10 years, and sometimes you have to take a step back to take a step forward," Reid said. "When Donovan is involved in seven turnovers the last couple games here, that just doesn't happen with him. This has nothing to do with age, injury, any of that stuff. So this gives him a chance to step back and look at things from a different perspective, and now it gives him a chance to get right back on the horse."

That being said, if McNabb struggles badly for a third consecutive week, Reid could easily turn to Kolb with an eye toward the future. Former NFL receiver Cris Collinsworth, now an analyst for the NFL Network and NBC, said during a conference call Monday that such a move only makes sense.

"I'd do it," he said.

It's been a rough couple of weeks for McNabb, who drew criticism for not knowing the NFL's overtime rule following a 13-13 tie with the Bengals.

Chief concerns

The Chiefs (1-10) lost another game on Sunday - surrendering a team-record 54 points to the Bills - and once again failed to register a sack. Through 11 games, Kansas City has just six sacks overall and could establish a record for the fewest in a 16-game season (13 by the 1981 Baltimore Colts).

But coach Herm Edwards doesn't regret the trade that sent Jared Allen, who led the league with 15 1/2 sacks last season, to the Vikings for draft picks.

"He was with us last year and . . . we still went 4-12," Edwards told reporters. "We got better at a lot of positions through that trade."